Process for the treatment of vegetable fibers



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES SCHWARTZ, OF VILLEURIBANNE, FRANCE, ASSIGNOR TO SOCIETE GILLET & FILS, OF LYON, REZONE, FRANCE, A. CORPORATION OF FRANCE.

PROCESS FOR THE TREATMENT OF VEGETABLE FIBERS.

No Drawing.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES SCHWARTZ, a citizen ofthe Republic of France, and a resident of Villeurbanne, Department of Rhone, France, have invented a new and useful Processfor the Treatment of Vegetable Fibers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a process for the treatment of vegetable fibers, with a View more especially to imparting to them the character of wool.

In my patent application N 0. 343,576 filed herewith, I have described such a process for the treatment of vegetable fibers, of all kinds and in all forms, the process consisting in impregnating the textile material with a solution of cellulose in concentrated nitric acid, preferably of a concentration equal to or higher than 65 per cent, and precipitating upon the textile material a slightly nitrated cellulose, by subjecting the textile material saturated with the solution to an action of washing with water, or to treatment with dilute solutions of acids, bases or salts, followed by washing with water.

It has now been found that an analogous result can be obtained by utilizing instead of cellulose or its products, substances having a constitution approaching that of cellulose, namely starch and in general the amylaceous products.

The products resulting from the action of the concentrated nitric acid, preferably of a concentration equal to or big er than 65 per cent, upon the starch and amylaceous substances in general, may be precipltated upon the vegetable fibers either by washmg with water, or by treatment with dilute solutions of acids, bases or salts, followed by washlng with water.

As in the case of the above mentloned process of patent application No. 343,576 of December 9, 1919, t ere may be employed dilute solutions of acids or bases or saline solutions, for example 10 per cent. aqueous solutions of sulfuric acid, ammonia, ammonium sulfate, sodium bi-sulfate, sodium phosphate and the like. This preliminary treatment, before washing by means of wa ter, renders the precipitation ofthe nitrated amylaceous product upon the fibers more rapid and complete.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 13, 1921.

Application filed December 9, 1919, Serial No. 343,577.

.table fibers, two different methods of procedure may be adopted.

The textile material may be impregnated with a solution of starch or of an amylaceous compound in concentrated nitric acid, and the precipitation of the nitrated amylaceous compound upon the textile effected by the washing with water, or b the treatment with weak alkalis or aci s or aqueous solutions of salts, followed by washing with water.

Alternatively, the fibers may be loaded or dressed by means of a solution or paste of starch or other amylaceous compound, the textile dried and then treated with'concentrated nitric acid, the excess of nitric acid pressed out, and the material finally washed; in this case the nitrated amylaceous product is formed directly upon and in the fiber and absorbed by the latter; it is then definitely precipitated upon and in the same by washing with Water, or by treatment with weak alkalis or acids or aqueous solutions of salts, followed by washing with water. This method of procedure presents great advantages, from the point of view of simplicity and convenience of working; textile materials dressed and loaded with a paste in this manner keep indefinitely, they can be prepared long in advance, and be subjected as required to the further treatments with concentrated nitric acid and precipi tation of the nitrated amylaceous product upon the fiber.

The duration of the action and the temperature vary according to the nature of the fibers to be treated, and also according to the amylaceous substance employed; in general, the time of the soaking of the textile material in the solution of amylaceous substance in concentrated nitric acid or of the textile dressed with the paste in the concentrated nitric acid, requires to be several .minutes and the temperature may vary from to vegetable fibers of all kinds, mercerized or not, and at any stage whatever in the operation to which they are subjected in the textile industry, whether in the mass or in the form of lap, yarn or fabrics made therewith, and whether these fabrics are fine or coarse, smooth, figured or worked.

The present process allows also of producing figured or damask effects upon plain fabrics; this result can be obtained in Various ways. For example the fabrics may be printed at the desired parts with a solution of an amylaceous substance in concentrated nitric acid, or the entire fabric may be im pregnated with this solution after printing thereon of suitable resists or reserves at the parts where the production of the eifect is not desired; in both cases the excess of acid is pressed out, and the material washed with water, or treated with dilute solutions of acids, alkalis or salts and washed with water, with a view to fixing a precipitate of the nitrated amylaceous product upon the parts impregnated with the solution.

Alternatively the following method may be followed: The fabric is printed, only at the parts where it is desired to produce the figured effect, with an aqueous solution of paste of starch or other amylaceous sub stances, or again the whole fabric is impregnated, after printing thereon with suitable reserves, with this solution or paste; in either case, the fabric is then passed into concentrated nitric acid,-the excess of acid is pressed out, and the nitrated amylaceous product is precipitated and fixed upon the fiber, either by washing by water or by treatment with dilute solutions of acids, al-. kalis or bases, followed by washing with water.

Example: A paste is prepared by heating together 40 kilograms of maize' starch, 75 liters of water and 75 liters of acetic acid. The textile is dressed with this paste, dried, treated for 3 to 5 minutes with 72 per cent. nitric acid at a temperature of 15 to 20 centigrade; the excess of acid is pressed out, and the textile material is passed into a 10 per cent. solution of sodium bisulfate and washed with water.

' The process of the present invention communicates to vegetable fibers the character of wool; the fibers or fabrics increase in weight, become denser and stronger and are softer to the touch; their aifimty and ab- Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is;

1. A-process for the treatment of vegetable fiber with a View of imparting to it the character of wool, both physically as to feel, appearance and caloric quality, and chemically as regards its aflinity and absorbent quality for dyestuffs, said process comprising precipitating upon the fiber the product resulting from the action of concentrated nitric acid upon an amylaceous substance.

2. A process for the treatment of vegetable fiber with a view of imparting to it the character of wool, both physically as to feel, appearance and caloric quality, and chemically as regards its afiinity and absorbent quality for dyestuffs, said process comprising precipitating upon the fiber the product resulting from the action of nitric acid at a concentration of at least 65% upon an amylaceous substance.

3.- A process for the treatment of vegetable fibers, for the purpose described, consisting in impregnating the fiber with a solution of an amylaceous substance, drying the fiber, passing the same into concentrated nitric acid, and precipitating the nitrated amylaceous substance upon the fiber by washing.

4.. A process for the treatment of vegetable fibers, for the purpose described, consisting in impregnating the fiber with a solution of an amylaceous substance, drying the fiber, passing the same into concentrated nitric acid, of a concentration of at least 65%, and precipitating the nitrated amylaceous substance upon the fiber by washing.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

CHARLES SCHWARTZ.

Witnesses:

PHILIPPE DESGRANGES, WOLFE BOHN. 

